Navigating Personal Experiences and Longevity
One of my core values in life is 𝑳𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒚…
… because I strongly believe that whilst your true potential is unknown and unknowable (credit: Carol Dweck) if you give something a long enough time, you can seriously amaze yourself with your accomplishments.
Now, values, aren’t just supposed to be preached. You need to wear them out on your sleeves day in and day out… So, with longevity, I am always looking for bio hacks to help support my health and wellness goals. So, here are three bio hacks I incorporate into my daily lifestyle.
Managing Your Micronutrients
With our hectic lifestyle and constant firefighting at work, it is super easy to ditch health resolutions time and again…
…Can you relate to this one? How many of you have had health and wellness-related goals that keep repeating on your to-do list from time to time? Maybe something that you decided you’d do at the beginning of the year, and it’s still on your list today.
Well, I believe in taking tiny yet consistent steps that help me progress on my goals. Reaching your health goals isn’t one big herculean action. Your nano steps are what really count…
Having an all-green smoothie is one of those nano steps I take. You see our body needs micro-nutrients: vitamins, minerals, and good fats in addition to the macro-nutrients of proteins and carbs. These micro-nutrients boost our immune system, support healthy growth and development, promote #longevity, and help our body carry out its functions optimally.
However, given our hectic lives, it is practically impossible for someone to have 7–10 portions of greens and salads during the day. Imagine the amount of cutting, chopping, and chewing one would do during the day — feel like a cow, eh? ;-) Well yeah, you can still include a couple of portions of salads along with your meals to provide the variety that our body needs.
One trick here is to provide for all these micro-nutrients through a big nutrition-packed green smoothie. The advantage of this is that it’s quick to prepare, carry, and consume. You can also make them in large batches and store them in the refrigerator.
Here’s a general recipe I usually follow:
Ingredients:
Cucumbers, Hydroponically grown Spinach, Green Amaranth Leaves, Celery stalks and tender leaves, Kale (remove stem), Avocado (if available), cold-pressed virgin coconut oil, a pinch of turmeric, water, and salt to taste.
(Optional): You can also add a fruit or two to make it a bit sweeter. Bananas are best. However, avoid adding salt if you are adding bananas.
Method:
Simply add all the ingredients into a high-power blender (I use Nutribullet) and whiz them all up till a pseudo-smooth texture (I still like to eat and drink my smoothie).
Enhancing Your Mood, Productivity & Heart
Let’s face it, I love caffeine. Who doesn’t???? It has also come to my attention that I am lactose intolerant (in a way). While I prefer my coffee black most of the time, there are times when I crave a good, frothy, creamy (milk) coffee. Throughout the years, I have experimented with several plant-based milks (almond, soy, oats, etc…), but they all failed me when I added coffee. It wasn’t until 2022 that I found a plant-based milk that blended very well with coffee and was naturally sweet enough to not need any added sugar. I have also found a great vitamin-infused instant coffee brand that I simply love (black or with plant-based milk). Now, coming to the protein part. I accidentally once added a plant-based protein powder to my coffee, only to realize that it tasted great!
So, here’s my final recipe for a plant-based, vitamin and protein-fortified coffee: Plant-based milk + Vitamin-infused instant coffee powder + Plant-based Protein powder. (All links to the brands I use are at the end of this post!)
Secondly, when it comes to coffee, there is enough research to show that caffeine messes with your sleep. Experts recommend avoiding caffeine after midday. At the same time, some experts also recommend a short nap in the afternoon, to enhance focus and post-lunch productivity. To get the best of both, I discovered this amazing bio hack from Dr. Michael Breus (called Nap-a-Latte), in which he recommends gulping down a shot of caffeine and immediately hitting the bed for 20–25 minutes. Caffeine takes about 15–20 minutes to take effect in your body, and in this period, you get your power nap. As a result, you wake up with enhanced alertness, mood, and memory.
So, what do you guys think about this?
Plant-based milk: https://pilk.heybob.in/48wSb
Vitamin-infused instant coffee: https://ragecoffee.com/?ref=JiiuR5Teglhkv3
Plant-based protein powder (unflavored): https://amzn.to/46XmlVb
